Since 2010, Cauli Le Chat, feline roving reporter for Mooresville Public Library (Mooresville, Indiana), has reported all things interesting to cats (and humans) happening at the library. Related stories from across the state (and beyond) are also included.

Cauli Le Chat

Cauli Le Chat, MPL Roving Reporter

Monday, November 5, 2012

Thanksgiving Winged Dinners Invade My Library

This being November and all, Thanksgiving winged dinners aplenty have invaded my Library. As always, click the images to bigify.

P.S. "Michigan Blackhawk," composed and produced by Michael Nesmith, was recorded in June, 1969 but never made it onto a Monkees LP until Missing Links, Volume Two (1990), although some Internet writers maintain that the song was incorrectly named by Rhino Records (see below). This faction argues that the song is actually "Down the Highway," by Carole King & Toni Stern. It's a great song, anyway. What has this to do with Thanksgiving, you might wonder? Nothing. I just really like this song and decided to include it here. Being feline-in-charge at my Library, I can do such things, you know.

P.P.S. There's an anonymous Wikipedia entry (2007) (reiterated on several online comment boards) that disputes whether the Monkees song on Missing Links, Volume Two is "Michigan Blackhawk" or "Down the Highway," attributed in the Wikipedia article to Carole King & Gerry Goffin but actually written by Carole King & Toni Stern. There's no reference source indicated on the Wikipedia entry supporting this statement, however (or among any of the online message boards making similar observations). Interestingly, the opening lyrical line to the song is "Flying down the highway, looking for a place to land" (emphasis added), which certainly suggests the King/Stern composition. Still, the complete lyrics to "Michigan Blackhawk" that appear on the Monkees website exactly match those sung on the song listed under that title on Missing Links, Volume Two, but that could just be due to someone on the Monkees website assuming Rhino's title was correct. Oddly enough, I didn't see the lyrics to "Down the Highway" on the Monkees website lyrics pages. In fact, I can't find those lyrics anywhere on the web.

Confusingly, the anonymous Wikipedia writer also stated that Micky Dolenz sang lead vocal on "Down the Highway" (as allegedly "mis-titled" on the Missing Links, Volume Two album), but, clearly, the recording entitled "Michigan Blackhawk" on the CD has Nesmith singing lead. The Rhino Records CD liner notes declared the song to be Nesmith's "Michigan Blackhawk," but the unknown Wikipedia author disputes this as a track listing error. Another source provided purported studio recording logs for "Down the Highway" (recorded June 5, 1969 at RCA Studios in Hollywood; composers' credit to King/Stern) and "Michigan Blackhawk" (recorded June 10, 1969, at RCA Studios in Hollywood; composer credit to Nesmith). This source also mentioned that Rhino Records released "Michigan Blackhawk" on Missing Links, Volume Two.

I'd have to hear both songs to be certain, but I can't find a recording (or lyrics or sheet music) identified as "Down the Highway" (crediting the song to Carole King & Toni Stern) anywhere on the web. You'd think it would be somewhere. ASCAP? Carole King's official website lists the song as copyrighted 1972 ColGems-EMI Music, Inc. (ASCAP), but the site says lyrics are currently not available. Maybe I should email Nesmith at the Videoranch. Or Carole King. Not much chance their minions would answer my email, though.

In the irrelevant aside department, the lyric "moving along the highway" appeared in "So Far Away," by Carole King, on her LP Tapestry [1971]. I'm presuming that we're not talking about a Monkees cover of "Down the Highway," by Bob Dylan, from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963).

About Moi

I am a black, short-haired, so-called "domesticated" cat named Cauli Le Chat. My boxing name is "Kit Cauliflower," because of my hurt ear. Before I became an exclusively-indoor kitty, I used to hang around outside Mooresville Public Library (MPL) in Mooresville, Indiana. I now stay with my friends who work there. I am the official MPL feline roving reporter (since 2010) and continue to report on library-related stories.